Muja and Maple Syrup
by Kurissyma san Tybalt
Summary: I found this cleaning up my desktop. It's a little iffy but whatever. Rikku is mourning Auron and Lulu is fervently denying that Wakka might like her as more than a friend. There's only one solution: 5 am pancakes and lots of maple syrup. Implied AuRi LuW


"Lu? You awake in there?"

"I don't know what time it is, Wakka, and I don't care," came Lulu's muffled voice from inside her hut. "Leave me alone."

"No can do," said Wakka lightly, "Rikku sent me herself- it'll be worse for you if you don't get out of bed soon. Locks don't mean a thing to her, you know."

Lulu groaned loudly, "whatever, it's open, come in."

Wakka opened the door slowly, perhaps wondering whether or not she was just invited him in to get a clear shot at his head with her pillow. It wouldn't be the first time… it seemed safe though. Lulu had dragged herself out of bed and, though she was wearing a short slip beneath it, Wakka forced himself to look away as she pulled her nightgown over her head and stepped into the heavy belted dress she had tossed carelessly over a chair the night before.

Eyes drifting back to her face, Wakka watched as she began the delicate and fragile routine with which she began every morning.

Awkward under his penetrating gaze, Lulu turned to face him, still fixing her braids a little and applying the last of her make up, "what does Rikku want anyway?"

"No idea," said Wakka, "she just seemed to think that I'd have a better chance of waking you than Yuna or herself."

Lulu shrugged, "who is she to judge. I'd get up at any hour for poor Yuna."

"I just wish she'd quit whining and be happy, ya," sighed Wakka and Lulu elbowed him before leaving her hut.

"She needs time and _compassion_," she said sternly, "now enough of your cracks, I won't have you upsetting her."

"Whatever, Muja."

"Excuse me?"

"I've been practising my Al Bhed," said Wakka proudly.

Lulu shot him a surprised glance, "oh? And what does that mean?"

"Not telling," said Wakka cheekily and Lulu feigned indifference.

"Not like I care…" she muttered, while silently resolving to ask Rikku later. "Couldn't it have waited 'till later, though…"

"Nup," said Wakka brightly, "apparently whatever Miss 5-am-is-my-favourite-time-of-day wants to tell us is pretty important, ya."

"Apparently," Lulu huffed.

"Soooooooooooooooo, Muja- what's up?"

"Quit calling me that!"

"What?" said Wakka, "Muja? You always were telling me not to call you Lu when we were kids. 'My _name _is _Lulu_'- you wouldn't quit yelling."

Lulu glared, "exactly- it's _Lulu_- not _Muja_… whatever that means."

"It's just killing you, not knowing, isn't it?" said Wakka.

"No," Lulu snapped irritably.

"Are you _suuuuuuuure_ that you don't wanna know?"

"Yes! Now shut up!"

Wakka chuckled, "okay, Muja, I'll shut up."

"For the love of Yevon, Wakka!_ QUIT IT!"_

"Something wrong?" asked Yuna sticking her head out of the door as Lulu and Wakka approached.

"Nup, nothing," said Wakka, slinging an arm around Lulu's shoulder playfully, "right, Muja?"

Yuna looked confused.

"I don't know what it means either," said Lulu grumpily and the younger girl giggled, "come on in."

"So what's so important that you had to drag us all out here so early, ya?" asked Wakka.

"Something fun!" said Rikku excitedly. "The Calm Lands have officially been turned into a theme park!"

"What kind of theme park is open at five in the morning?" said Lulu sceptically.

"Well, none," Rikku admitted, "but I couldn't sleep, so I thought we'd all go get breakfast someplace nice… someplace with pancakes."

"So this is less about us and more about you and your sleeping problems? That's it- I'm going back to bed," Lulu turned to leave irritably but Wakka put a hand on her shoulder.

"Weren't you just telling me to be more compassionate, Muja? Follow your own advice……. while _Yuna and I_ go back to bed."

"I hate you," Lulu told him evenly, glaring as he left.

"I know, Muja," said Wakka brightly and he closed the door behind them.

Lulu turned to Rikku, sighing, "do you want to tell me what's wrong or do I have to guess?"

"Nothing's wrong," said Rikku, sounding like quite a lot _was_ wrong, "I just can't sleep."

"Rikku, this is about more than that- tell me the truth."

Rikku looked up sadly, "well… this is kinda sorta about Auron…"

"'Kinda sorta'?" Lulu repeated dubiously.

"Okay! So it's _completely_ about Auron! I loved him, Lulu!"

"And you think a theme park is going to make you feel better?"

"A theme park _and pancakes_," Rikku reminded her.

"The hurt… it isn't that simple, Rikku," said Lulu, choosing her words carefully. "You can't just drown it in maple syrup."

"Not even heaps and heaps of maple syrup?"

"Not even heaps and heaps," said Lulu and Rikku shook her head.

"What do you know anyway? I mean, I know that you've loved and lost before but you know absolutely nothing about your own feelings- let alone mine, right?"

"Who says I know nothing about my own feelings?" asked Lulu, a little put out.

"Well, you _don't_! Sure, you know about the pain and the mourning… but love's not just about that, ya know? It's about the happy times too!"

"It is the happy times that are hardest to bear," said Lulu, looking away.

"You don't get it, Lulu. I'm talking about the here and now- _these_ happy times," Rikku smiled a little. "I bet you'll be too stubborn to ask me what 'muja' means, so I'll just tell you anyway. It means _love_, Lulu."

Lulu, who had gone a rare shade of white –even for her- demanded to see all Yuna's collected primers and set them out on Rikku's bed in order.

"Muja…" she murmured, "…love?" she tossed it aside quickly, "I'll bet even _he_ doesn't know what he's saying!"

"Idiot," said Rikku, rolling her eyes. "I told you that you don't know nothing about feelings."

"That's a double negative, Rikku," said Lulu, waving a hand absently.

"What_ever_!"

"You're wrong anyway," she looked up determinedly. "Even if Wakka did mean… even if he does… _I _have no feelings for him whatsoever and that's what counts."

"Muja. _Muja, Muja, Muja_," said Rikku.

Lulu was silent.

"You're hopeless," said Rikku, standing up and clenching and unclenching her fist slowly, "come on, let's go get some pancakes."

"Pancakes," said Lulu, still that funky shade of white, "that sounds good… and heaps of maple syrup."

"Heaps and heaps," Rikku agreed.


End file.
